Two-way flush tank control



Jan. 14, 1969 R. 1.. STAFFORD ETAL 3,421,161

TWO-WAY FLUSH TANK CONTROL Filed June 6, 1966 1: lNVENTORS P064322 Sd/ore! By er! (1). (ow-mew:

Hood, Gabi Ihah Attomgys United States Patent 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A flush tank control including a flush valve carried on astem guided for vertical reciprocation within the tank, an oscillablehandle outside the tank and op'eratively connected to the stem to raisethe valve off its seat to .a predetermined height when said handle isturned in one direction and to a greater height when said handle isturned in the opposite direction, float controlled catch means at onelevel in said tank and cooperative with said stem when the latter islifted to said predetermined height, and other float controlled means atanother level in said tank and cooperative with said stern when thelatter is lifted to said greater height. In a preferred form,.the guidefor said stem and both of said catch means are supported from a bracketwhich is mounted within said tank for vertical adjustment, preferablyupon the conventional overflow pipe.

The present invention relates to a two-way flush tank control fortoilets and is primarily concerned with means for conserving water in aflush tank type of toilet.

In such a toilet installation, there is conventionally provided a waterreservoir whose capacity is such as to provide for a vigorous flushingof the toilet bowl upon each actuation of the flushing handle. However,upon occasions when the bowl contains only liquid, a much less vigorousflush, involving the use of only about one-half of the capacity of thereservoir, will effectively clear the bowl. Thus, there are manyoccasions, during the ordinary, daily use of such a toilet, whenunnecessarily large volumes of water are delivered to, and wastedthrough, the toilet bowl.

The primary object of the present invention, then, is to provide aflushing control so constructed and arranged that, when the bowlcontains only liquid, a relatively small amount of water will bedelivered from the reservoir; but on other occasions, when a morevigorous flush is required, the full capacity of the reservoir will beso delivered.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in such a mechanism, anarrangement such that the smaller amount of liquid Will be deliveredwhen the manually manipulable handle is moved in one direction from itsneutral position, while the full capacity of the reservoir will beautomatically delivered when the handle is moved in the oppositedirection.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an adapter assemblyso constructed and arranged that it can be substituted, in aconventional flush tank, for the conventional flush valve control.

Further objects of the invention will appear as the descriptionproceeds.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, our inventionmay be embodied in the forms illustrated in the accompanying drawings,attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings areillustrative only, and that change may be made in the specificconstructions illustrated and described, so long as the scope of theappended claims is not violated.

FIG. 1 is a section through a conventional flush tank or reservoir inwhich our two way-control has been installed;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view, drawn to an enlarged scale, andillustrating our lifter lever, flush handle and associated parts asviewed from the rear of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective showing a modified form of actuatorfor said lever.

Referring more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, it will be seen that wehave illustrated a tank or reservoir 10 provided with a conventionaldischarge port 11 guarded by a seat 12, said reservoir being provided,as usual, with an upstanding overflow pipe 13 communicating with theport 11 below the seat 12.

Telescopically mounted upon the overflow pipe 13 is a sleeve 14 whichmay be secured in any desired position of vertical adjustment upon saidoverflow pipe 13 by means, for instance, of a set screw 15. Said sleevefixedly carries an arm 16 which supports a vertically extending guidemeans 17 formed with a longitudinal bore 18 which is arranged invertical alignment with the seat 12. Freely, slidably guided in the bore18 is a stem 19 which, at its lower end, carries a non-buoyant valvehead 20 constructed and arranged to seat sealingly upon the seat 12.Obviously, When the head 20 is so seated, water flow through the port 11(except through the overflow pipe 13) is prevented.

A plate 21 is fixedly secured within the reservoir 10 at a suitablepoint near the top of the front wall of the reservoir. Journalled insaid plate is a rocker 22 which penetrates the reservoir wall andexteriorly carries a manually manipulable handle 23. Inside thereservoir, an actuator cam 24 is fixed to the rocker 22, the oppositeends 25 and 26 of said cam extending oppositely from the vertical planewhich contains the axis of the rocker 22.

A lever 27 is pivotally mounted on the plate 21 upon an axis 28 which isparallel with the axis 22, said lever overlying the cam ends 25 and 26and extending past the above-mentioned vertical plane to intersect theaxis of the guide bore 18. The distal end 29 of the lever is formed withone or more holes 30 with which may selectively be engaged one end of achain or other flexible element, the other end of which is attached tothe upper end of the stem 19.

The cam 24 is formed with a concentric slot 32 in which is engaged astop pin 33 fixed with respect to the plate 21.

It will be apparent that, when the handle 23 is rocked in a clockwisedirection as viewed in FIG. 2, the cam end 25 will engage the lever 27to lift the same to the position 27A indicated in broken lines in FIG.2, before the right hand end of the slot 32 comes into engagement withthe pin 33. However, when the handle 23 is moved in a counter-clockwisedirection as viewed in FIG. 2, the cam end 26 will engage the lever 27to lift the same only to the position indicated at 27B in broken linesin FIG. 2 before the left hand end of the slot 32 engages the stop pin33.

A lateral bore 34 is formed in the guide element 17 and opens from theoutside thereof to the 'bore 18, a catch pin 35 being reciprocablymounted in said bore 34. Near its upper end, the stem 19 is formed witha peripheral notch 36, the lower wall 37 of which is formed as anupwardly tapering cone. The parts are so proportioned and designed that,when the head 20 rests on the seat 12, the notch 36 is disposed somewhatbelow the bore 34 and pin 35.

A bracket 38 is secured to the guide member 17 below the bore 34 andprovides a journal mounting for an axle 39 upon which is oscillablysupported a laterally projecting float arm 40, a float 41 being carriedat the distal end 42 of said arm 40. The proximal end 43 of said arm isturned upwardly and is operatively engaged with the catch pin 35 sothat, when said arm 40 is in its illustrated lowermost position, the pin35 will be withdrawn from the guide bore 18. However, whenever the float41 is submerged in water in the reservoir 10, it will exert a force uponthe arm 40 tending to turn the same in a counterclockwise direction tourge the pin 35 yielda'bly inwardly.

Near its lower end, the guide member 17 is formed with a second lateralbore 44 in which is reciprocably received a second catch pin 45. Asecond peripheral notch 46, the lower wall 47 of which is upwardlytapered, is formed in the stem 19 at a point which, when the head 20 ison the seat 12, is spaced below the bore 44 to an extent greater thanthe spacing of the notch 36 below the bore 34. A bracket 48 secured tothe guide member 17 provides a journal mounting for an axle 49 uponwhich is oscillably mounted a second float arm 5% which, at its distalend 52, carries a second float 51. The proximal end 53 of the lever 50is turned upwardly and operatively engaged with the catch pin 45 in amanner in all respects similar to the operative engagement of the leverend 43 with the catch pin 35. Thus, when the lever 50 is in itslowermost position as shown, the pin 45 will be withdrawn from the bore18; but whenever the float 51 is submerged, it will exert a forceyieldably tending to move the pin 45 into the guide bore 18.

Obviously, the reservoir will be provided with the usual inletcontrolled by a float actuated valve (not shown) whereby, whenever theport 11 is closed, the reservoir will 'be automatically filled to alevel immediately below the upper open end of the overflow pipe 13.

If, now, the handle 23 is moved in a clockwise direction as viewed inFIG. 2 until the right hand end of the slot 32 is brought intoengagement with the stop pin 33, the lever 27 will be lifted to itsposition indicated at 27A in FIG. 2 and the stem 19 will be liftedsufficiently to bring the notch 46 into registry with the pin 45. Ofcourse, as the stem moves upwardly, the notch 36 will pass the pinwhich, under the influence of the submerged float 41, will be urgedinwardly; but the conical wall 37 of the notch 36 will cam the pin 35outwardly as the notch passes that pin.

When the notch 46 comes into registry with the pin 44, said pin willmove into that notch under the influence of the submerged float 51; andwhen the handle 23 is released, the pin will retain the stem 19 in itselevated position. When the head 20 is thus lifted off the seat 12,Water will flow rapidly from the reservoir 10 toward the toilet bowl(not shown) whereby the level in the reservoir will fall. As the levelof liquid in the reservoir drops below the float 41, the tendency ofthat float to move the pin 35 inwardly will be eliminated; but the stem19 will be held in its elevated position until the liquid level dropsbelow the elevated position of the float 51. When that time comes, thearm will move in a clockwise direction to withdraw the pin 45 from thenotch 46, thus releasing the stem 19 and permitting the non-buoyant head20 to drop into closing position on the seat 12. Thus, the entirecapacity of the reservoir 10 will be delivered to the toilet bowlwhenever such a vigorous flush is required.

If, however, the handle 23 is moved in a counterclockwise direction asviewed in FIG. 2, the left hand end of the slot 32 will engage the pin33 when the lever has been lifted to its position indicated at 27B inthat figure; thereby, the stem 19 will be lifted only high enough topermit the pin 35 to drop into the notch 36; and when the lever 23 isreleased, the head 20 will be retained in its elevated position only bythe pin 35. As water flows from the reservoir through the port 11, thelevel in the reservoir will fall until it passes the elevated positionof the float 41. As soon as the liquid level passes that position, thefloat 41 will drop, thus withdrawing the pin 35 from the notch 36 andpermitting the head 20 to fall upon the seat 12 to cut off water flow.Of course, the position of the float 41 will be so adjusted as toaccomplish the delivery of sufiicient water from the reservoir to effectthe gentle flush which is needed when the bowl contains only liquid.

A modified form of actuator is illustrated in FIG. 3 wherein a plate 21'similar to the plate 21 provides a journal mounting for a rocker 22' towhich is fixed a handle 23'. and also provides the pivot 28 for thelever 27. In this form of assembly, the rocker 22' is formed with anopen, diametrical slot 54 in which is received an actuator "bracket 55provided at its opposite ends with upwardly-opening hooks 56 and 57disposed beneath, and operatively engaged with, the lever 27. In thiscase, no movement-limiting means for the handle 23' is provided; but itwill be obvious that movement of the handle in a counter-clockwisedirection as viewed in FIG. 3 will lift the lever 27 to a higherelevation than will movement of said handle in the opposite direction tothe same degree. In this form of the invention, the lifting ratio can bevaried by shifting the bracket 55, relative to the rocker 22', toward oraway from the pivotal axis 28 of the lever 27. Said bracket 55 may 'besecured in any such position of adjustment by means of a set screw 58,or the like.

We claim as our invention:

1. In combination, a liquid reservoir having an upwardly-openingdischarge port, a non-buoyant valve having a head sea-table on said portto close the same and having a stern, vertical guide means supported insaid reservoir, said stem being reciprocably received in said guidemeans to support said head in operative registry with said port,manually-manipulable means movably disposed outside said reservoir,means providing an operative connection between saidmanually-manipulable means and said stem to lift said stem to oneelevation upon movement of said manually-manipulable means in onedirection and to lift said stem to a higher elevation upon movement ofsaid manually-manipulable means in another direction, a first catchmeans engageable with said stem to support the same at said first-namedelevation, a second catch means engageable with said stem to support thesame at said higher elevation, and separate float means for saidrespective catch means, the float means for said first catch meansacting to .disengage said stem when the liquid level in said reservoirdrops below a predetermined value and the float means for said secondcatch means acting to disengage said stem when the liquid level in saidreservoir drops below a lower value.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which said guide means is tubular andcoaxial with said port, said stem being freely slidable in said guidemeans, said guide means being formed with a first lateral bore openingfrom its interior to its exterior, said first catch means comprising afirst pin reciprocably penetrating said first bore and said stern beingformed with a first notch disposed, when said head is seated on saidport, a predetermined distance below said first bore to receive theinner end of said first pin when said stem is lifted to said oneelevation, the float means for said first catch means comprising an armpivotally mounted on said guide means at a first level, having a firstfloat at its distal end and operatively connected to said first pin tomove the same outwardly when said float drops, said guide means beingformed with a second lateral bore opening from its interior to itsexterior at a point below the lowermost position of said first notch,said second catch means comprising a second pin reciprocably penetratingsaid second bore and said stern being formed with a second notchdisposed when said head is seated on said port, a greater distance belowsaid second bore to receive the inner end of said second pin when saidstem is lifted to said higher elevation, the float means for said secondcatch means comprising a second arm pivotally mounted on said guidemeans, having a float at its distal end and operatively connected tosaid second pin to move the same outwardly when said second float drops,said second float being positioned below said first float.

3. The combination of claim 1 including stationary upright means in saidreservoir, said catch means and said float means being carried by saidguide means, sleeve means vertically adjustably supported from saidupright means, and means for securing said sleeve means in selectedpositions relative to said upright means, said guide means beingsupported from said sleeve means.

4. The combination of claim 1 in which said manuallymanipulatable meanscomprises a rocker penetrating a Wall of said reservoir for oscillationabout a horizontal axis, and said means providing an operativeconnection comprises a lever pivoted within said reservoir upon an axisparallel with said rocker axis but more remote from said guide means, anactuator fixed to said rocker and extending toward and away from saidlever axis in registry with said lever whereby turning movement of saidrocker in one direction engages said actuator with said lever at a pointbetween said rocker axis and said guide axis to lift the distal end ofsaid lever and turning movement of said rocker in the opposite directionengages said actuator with said lever at a point between said rockeraxis and said lever axis to lift the distal end of said lever, andflexible means connecting the distal end of said lever with said stem.

5. The combination of claim 4 in which said actuator is a cam having anarcuate slot therein receiving a stop pin fixed relative to saidreservoir wall, said slot extending oppositely but unequally from saidstop pin when said rocker is in a neutral position and limiting movementof said rocker in said opposite direction to an angular extent less thanpermissible movement thereof in said one direction.

6. The combination of claim 4 in which said actuator is a bracket havinghooks at its opposite ends engageable beneath said lever, and means forsecuring said bracket to said rocker in any one of a plurality ofpositions of adjustment toward and away from said lever axis.

7. The combination of claim 2 in which the lower boundary wall of eachnotch is inclined downwardly and outwardly to act as a cam against itsassociated catch pin during upward movement of said stem.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,345,920 7/1920 Glennon 4-552,724,838 11/1955 Wirth et al. 4-67 2,731,647 1/1956 Groth et al. 4-672,741,776 4/ 1956 Christie et al. 4-67 2,803,833 8/1957 Charest 4-672,817,849 12/1957 Hewitt 4-67 2,950,483 8/1960 Richards 4-67 LAVERNE D.GEIGER, Primary Examiner.

H. K. ARTIS, Assistant Examiner.

